Hinged shoe last and hinge therefor



Aug. 2, 193,8. H. w. CLAUSlNG HINGED SHOE LAST AND HINGE THEREFOR FiledJan. 18, 1937 NJ Q INVENTOR. HAAOL a h/ CL A USING.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 2, 1938 5 Claims.

My invention relates to a novel type of shoe last hinge and to the lasthaving the hinge associated and incorporated in it.

The hinging of shoe lasts is necessary because the shoe upper is formedon the last and if the toe and heel portion. of the last were notseparately hinged so that they could be swiveled, one with relation tothe other called breaking, the last could not be removed from the shoe.

There are three features of last hinging which are important. First thehinge point should be. as far as the hinge construction permits, closeto the bottom of the last so that the heel portion of the last describesas abrupt an are as possible, when swinging from its extended to itscontracted position.

This is so that the outwardly bulged portion of the heel will notstretch the contoured upper edge of the shoe at the back, when the lastis broken down to permit the removal of the shoe therefrom.

Secondly, the tension of the spring action of the hinge should begreatestwhen the last is opened out to its fullest extent, in whichposition the shoe upper is formed about it. Some shoe lasts have a deadcenter position of maximum spring tension in a half opened or closedposition so that when the last is fully opened out there is some playbetween the heel and toe portion of the last. The present inventionentirely overcomes this weakness of many types of lasts as they are madetoday.

Lastly, the hinge, usually of metal, should be exposed, at the bottom ofthe last near the transverse break line between the toe and heelportion, as little as possible so that tacks may be inserted into thelast without danger of splitting the wool and so that as much of thewood should be free to receive tacks as possible.

Broadly, it is the object of my invention to provide a last hinge and alast incorporating such hinge which, as far as I am advised, present asuccessful solution to the dificulties now experienced in connectionwith the three features above set forth and which, approximates a closerap proach to a theoretically perfectly hinged last than has heretoforebeen possible with former constructions. The mechanical principleinvolved is in a way similar to thatof a knife type electric switch.

The above objects and other objects such as inexpensiveness ofconstruction, ease of installation, and permanence and durability, Iaccomplish by that certain combination and arrange ment of parts ofwhich I have shown a preferred modification.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a-side elevation of a shoe last incorporating my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the last.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively side elevations of the toe portion ofthe hinge and the heel por tion.

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively plan views of the toe and heel portionsof the hinge shown in side elevation in Figures 3 and 4 V Figure '7 is aperspective view of the hinge pin.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of the pin for securing the attachmentportions of the hinge to the toe and heel portion of the last. I

Shoe lasts are ordinarily formed on a last lathe and the operationswhich make the last ready for use consist in 1 cutting away laterally asector shaped portion from the heel and boring openings for the hingepintle and for the pins which secure the attaching portions of the hingeto the toe and heel portions of the last. Lengthwise slotsv are alsoprovided for accommodating the hinge.

In the last illustrated, the toe portion is indicated at I and the heelportion at 2. The heel portion is cut away transversely as indicated at3.

A slot t is formed in the toe portion and a slot 5 in the heel portionto accommodate the hinge. The hole 5 is bored at the break line beforethe heel and fore parts are severed one from the other and holes i and 8are bored for attaching the hinge to the toe and heel portion of thelast. i A

It is conventional practice to have the break line between the axis ofthe hinge and the bottom of the last out on a zigzag as indicated at 9.It will be noted, however, that the spaced break lines are only slightlymore than inch apart which decreases the area of the last bottom wherethe insertion of tacks is likely to split the wood.

In installing my hinges in the last. it will be apparent that the axisof the hinge is close to the last bottom so that the arc of swing. ofthe heel portion of the last is quite abrupt. In my preferredmodification the axis of the pintle is only one half inch from thefarthest removed bottom surface of the last. This permits a much sharperbreak than where the axis of the hinge is from inch to one inch removedfrom the bottom surface of the last.

The hinge is formed of two pieces of metal, that secured in the heelportion of the last being a flat piece of metal formed with apertures6a, 8a for receiving the hinge pintle and the attaching stud. The upperportion of the hinge which is secured to the heel is curved arcuatelyending in a sharpened edge I!) or tongue.

the edge In is received between them. As indi-' cated in Figure 2 therelease of the sharpened edge 10 occurs at the position when the last isspread apart at its fullest extent. That is to say, at the instant thelast parts reach their extreme extended position the two inwardly bowedears shown at H bend inwardly along the side faces of the edge ll! ofthe tongue and lock the last in its extended position.

The hinge pintle l2 may be secured in position after the hinge studs l3,M are secured in position in the last toe and heel parts or anyotherdesirable plan of assembly may be used. There is no necessity of havingthe hinge under tension at the time of assembly as when other types ofhinges are used.

It will be observed that a last incorporating my hinge construction willhave a fast break, it will be tensioned when fully extended and thebottom of the last will be free and open for receiving the tacksnecessary in shoe building where a last is employed.

While I have shown that part of the hinge having the tongue assecured inthe heel portion of the last and that part of the hinge having thetensioned receiving lips as secured to the toe portion of the last itwill be obvious that these parts may be interchangeable and the tonguemember may be mounted in the toe part of the last.

It will be .understood'also that the invention may be applied to typesof hinged lasts other than that illustrated and described herein, suchas that type in which male and female trunnions are formed of thematerial of the last itself to supplant the metallic hinge pintle [2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: 7

1. A hinge for a last comprising a member having a tongue, a cooperatingmember comprising a channeled member having resiliently tensionedlipsfor receiving said tongue and means for securing said hinge to theheel and toe portions of a shoe last.

2. In a last having a heel and fore part hinged one upon the other, ahinge mechanism comprising a pair of interengaging last locking memberssecured respectively in said fore and heel parts and having a commonpivot point at the hinge axis, spring fingers on one of said lockingmembers, a tongue on the other of said locking members received betweensaid fingers when the last parts are contracted, said fingers actingforcibly to eject said tongue from between said fingers at the instantthe last parts assume their extreme extended position, thereby to lockthe last in extended position.

3. In a last having a fore and heel part hinged one upon the other, ahinge mechanism comprising a pair of spring fingers upon one of saidlast parts, a co-acting tongue member secured upon the other of saidparts, said tongue moving between said fingers when the last is movedinto contracted position, said spring fingers acting when the last partsreach their extended position to lock said tongue against relativemovement with the said fingers thereby to lock the last in extendedposition. a

4. In a shoe last having a toe and heel part hinged one upon the other,a hinge mechanism comprising a pair of interengaging locking memberseach secured upon one of the last parts and pivoted together at thehinge axis closely adjacent the bottom of the last, a tongue on one ofsaid locking members having a wedge shaped face, a pair of springfingers on the other locking member between which said tongue isreceived when the last is contracted, said fingers springing intoposition with their outer ends against said wedge shaped face on saidtongue when the last is extended, thereby locking the last with itsparts in extended relation.

5. In a shoe last having a fore part and a heel part hinged together, ahinge pintle situated closely adjacent the last bottom, the hingemechanism associated with said pintle comprising a member having atongue and a co-operating member having spaced lips for embracing saidtongue, said lips being tensioned to co-act with said tongue to lock thelast parts in their extended relation.

HAROLD W. CLAUSING.

